Circuit-breaker and switch.



G. A. BURNHAM. cmcun BREAKER AND swlcH.

APPLICATION FILED AUQZB, i915. 1,293,691 Patented Feb. 11', 1919.

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CIRCUIT BHEAKER AND SWITCH.

APPLICATIQN FILED AUG.23. 1915.

Patented Feb. 11, 19H).

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

GEORGE A. BURNHAM, 0F SAUGUS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB T0 SEARS B.CONDIT, JR., OF BROOKLINE', MASSACHUSETTS.

GICUIT-BREAKER AND SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

Application filed August 23, 1915. l Serial No. 46.788.

To all whom it may concern.' y

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. BURNHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Saugus, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Circuit-Breakers and Switches, of whichthe following is a specification.

In electrically operated circuit-breakers and switches it is a commonexpedient to provide a switch for controlling the circuit of theelectro-magnet of y the operatingmeans, to open said circuit immediatelyupon the closing of the circuit-breaker, and independently of theoperating-switch for said operating circuit. Much difficulty, however,is encountered in constructing, arranging and adjusting the parts sothat the controlling-switch for the operating-circuit will be operatedto open said circuit at the moment the circuit-breaking member arrivesat its closed position and becomes latched or otherwise heldincircuit-closing position.

This invention lhas for its object the provision of means associatedwith the circuitbreaking member and its operating-means, which admits ofa continuation of the movement of certain components of said operat- 1ing-means after the circuit-breaking member has arrived at its closedposition, and the provision of means arranged to operate thecontrolling-switch during the continuation of such movement. Forinstance, as an illustration of one embodiment of my invention, a springmay be associated with one of the components of the operating-means forthe circuit-breaker, which will be moved bodily therewith, when closingthe circuitbreaking member, and after said circuitbreaking memberarrives at its closed position, it will upon compression or furthercompression, permit further movement of said component or othercomponents connected therewith; and the actuating-means for thecontrolling-switch is arranged for operation by and during such furthermovement of the component or components of the operating-means for thecircuit-breaking element.

Figure l, is a front elevation of a `circuitbreaker or switch embodyingthis invention.

Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the same.

A circuit-breaker is'here shown for illustrating my invention, which isor may be of any usual or suitable construction, for instance 10represents the circuit-breaking arm carrying the movable contact-members11, l2, and 13, arranged for engagement, respectively, with stationarycontact-members 14, 15, and 16.v Said arm is pivoted at 17. There is alatch 18 provided for holding it in closed position, which latch engagesa pin 19, on vone of the toggle-levers 20, and 21 represents the othertoggle-lever which is pivoted at 22. The member 25, having a hand-piece,not shown, is carried by a member 25 pivoted at 22, which is adapted toengage the pivot 26, of the toggle, and act to nearly straighten saidtoggle to move the. circuit-breaking member into closed position, andthe toggle into engagement with the latch.

Said member 25 may carrya blade 27, which is arranged to frictionallyengage the blade 28, to limit downward motion of the' member 25. Thecircuit-breaking arm 10, has an extension 30 at its lower end, which,when said arm is in closed position rests on a yielding stop 31. 35represents a trippingcoil, which may have a retarding element associatedwith its core-piece. 40 represents the electro-magnet of theoperating-means for closing the circuit-breaking member 10. 41, 42, arethe members of the controllingswitch for the circuit of said closingelectromagnet, which is adapted to be opened immediately after thecircuit-breaking member has arrived at its closed position; and to beclosed when the circuit-breaking member is moved into open position. Inthe circuit of said closing electro-magnet 40, a remote control switch100 may be arranged for closing the circuit and causing energization ofsaid magnet when it is desired to close the circuit-breaking member.

The core-piece or armature 45 of the closing electro-magnet or solenoid40, is connected by a link 46, with a lever 47, pivoted at 48, the endof said lever being loosely connected with the lower end of a verticalbar orlink 49, which is arranged for sliding connection with the member25, its upper end-portion projecting through a hole in a cross-bar 50 onsaid member. Said bar or link 49 has arranged on it a collar 51, and itsupper end-portion is encircled by a spring 52, the lower end of whichbears upon said collar, and the upper end of which engages the cross-bar50. A cotter-pin 53 is eXtended transversely through the upperend-portion of the rod or bar, above the cross-bar. This constructionadmits of the bar or link 49 moving the cross-bar and member 25, towhich it is connected, for the purpose of closing the circuit-breakingmember 10, and the sliding connection and spring admit of the bar orlink 49 moving independently of said member 25, after thecircuit-breaking member 10 has arrived at its closed position.

The interposition or association of the spring 52, with the link andlever operatingmeans for the circuit-breaking member here shown, orequivalent operating-means, serves as a means whereby certain componentsof the link and lever mechanism are permitted further movement after ithas moved the circuit-breaking member into its closed position.

The actuating-means for the controllingswitch is arranged for operationduring such further movement of certain components of the link and levermechanism for the circuit-breaking element, and preferably by one of thecomponents thereof.

As here shown, the controlling switch has its movable member 41,carrying a contact 66, pivoted at 60 to a member 67 held by a support68, which also holds the stationary contact-member 42 of the switch.Associated with member 67 is an ear 69 which serves to limit the openingmovement of the movable switch-member 41 under the action of spring 61.Spring 61 is so connected to switch member 41 and member 67 with respectto the pivotal point 60 of the movable switch-member 41, that saidswitch-member 41 is held in either open or closed position by saidspring. Carried by an arm 70 of switch-member 41 and pivoted thereto at71 is a downwardly depending rod 62, extending through an apertured earpivotally or otherwise mounted on lever 47, and provided with twoadjustable stops 63 and 64.

Movement of said lever causes said ear to engage one or the otherlimiting-stop and thus move the switch-member 41 into and out ofengagement' with the switch-member 42. The limiting-stop 63 is arrangedfor engagement with the ear at or about the time the member 25 has beenmoved far enough to move the circuit-breaking member into its closedposition, so that further movement, which is independent of thecircuitbreaking member, will cause said ear to raise the limiting-stopand move the switch-mem-l ber 41 of the controlling-switch into its openposition.

The return or closingmovement of the switch-member 41, is accomplishedby a downward movement of the lever 47 striking the other limitingstop64, which happens when the circuit-breaking member 10 is opened, and itsoperating-means moved into an abnormal position.

I claimr- 1. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combinationof a circuit-breaking member, operating-means therefor including linkand lever mechanism, one of the components of said mechanism beingslidably and yieldingly connected with another component to admit ofcontinued movement thereof after the circuit-breaking member has arrivedand stopped in closed position, and a switch associated with saidmechanism and adapted for operation during such continued movement.

2. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combination of acircuit-breaking` member, operating means therefor including link andlever mechanism, one of the components of said mechanism being arrangedfor continued movement relative to another coinponent after thecircuit-breaking member has arrived in closed position7 and a switchassociated with said first component and adapted for operation by itduring such continued movement.

3. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combination of acircuit-breaking member, a closing-magnet therefor, a link-andlevermechanism connecting said member with the armature of said magnet, oneof the components of said mechanism being slidably and yieldinglyconnected with another component to admit of continued movement thereofafter the circuit-breaking member has arrived and stopped in closedposition, and a switch for the circuit of said closing-magnet associatedwith said mechanism and adapted for movement into open position by saidmechanism during such continued movement.

4. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch. the combination of acircuit-breaking member, a closing-magnet therefor, a link-andlevermechanism connecting said member with the armature of`said magnet, oneof the components of said mechanism being slidably connected withanother component to admit of continued movement thereof after thecircuit-breaking member has arrived and stopped in closed position, anda switch for the circuit of said closing-magnet associated with saidmechanism and adapted for movement by said mechanism, respectively, intoopen and closed positions.

5. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch having a movablecircuit-breaking member, a closing coil therefor, link and levermechanism connected between said member and the armature of said coil, acomponent part of which is arranged for continued motion after saidcircuit-breaking member has been moved into and stopped in closedposition,

and a switch for the circuit of said closing coil arranged t0 beoperated by said component part in its continued motion.

6. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combination of acircuit-breaking member, a closing-magnet therefor, a link-andlevermechanism connecting said member with the armature of said magnet, oneof the components of said mechanism being slidably and yieldinglyconnected with another component to admit of continued movement thereofafter the circuit-breaking member has arrived and stopped in closedposition, and a switch for the circuit of said closingmagnet associatedwith said mechanism and adapted for movement into open position by saidmechanism during such continued movement, and into closed position atthe end of its movement in the other direction.

7. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combination of acircuit-breaking member, a closing-magnet therefor, a link-andlevermechanism connecting said member with the armature of said magnet, oneof the components of said mechanism being slidably and yieldinglyconnected with another component to admit of continued movement thereofafter the circuit-breaking member has arrived and stopped in closedposition, and a switch for the circuit of said closing-magnet associatedwith said mechanism and adapted for movement into open position by saidmechanism during such continued movement, and a tripping-coilcontrolling the said link-and-lever mechanism whereby thecircuit-breaking member is movable into open circuit position.

8. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch having a movablecircuit-breaking member, a closing coil therefor, link and levermechanism connected between said member and the armature of said closingcoil, a switch for the circuit of said closing coil, means whereby saidswitch is opened by said mechanism after said member has been moved intoand stopped in circuit closing position, and a tripping coil to controlthe operation of said mechanism tol close said switch.

9. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combination of acircuit-breaking member, a closing-magnet therefor, a link-andlevermechanism, one of the components of which is connected with acircuit-breaking member, and another component is connected with thearmature of the magnet, a yielding connection in said mechanism wherebyone of the components is slidably connected with another component toadmit of a continued movement of said slidablyconnected component afterthe circuitbreaking member has arrived in closed position, a switch forthe circuit of the closingmagnet, and actuating-means thereforassociated with one of the components of said mechanism whereby theswitch is open and closed respectively upon operation of said mechanism.

10. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch having a movablecircuit-breaking member, a closing-coil therefor, operating mechanismfor said member comprising a lever to which the armature of said closingcoil is connected, a link extended between said lever and saidcircuit-breaking member, a yielding connection between said link andmember'whereby said mechanism is permitted continued movement after saidcircuitbreaking member has arrived and stopped in closed position, aswitch for the circuit of said closing-coil arranged to be opened bysaid mechanism during its continued movement and a tripping coil tocause said mechanism to operate to close said switch.

Il. In an electric circuit-breaker, or switch having a movablecircuit-breaking member, a closing coil therefor, operating mechanismfor said member comprising a lever to avhich the armature of the closingcoil is connected, a link extended between said lever and saidcircuit-breaking member, a slidable and yielding connection between saidlink and said member permitting a continued movement of said mechanismafter said member has arrived and stopped in closed position, a switchfor the circuit of said closing coil connected with said mechanism foroperation in one direction by said mechanism during such continuedmovement, and a tripping coil to control the operation of said switch,through said mechanism, in the opposite direction.

l2. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combination of acircuit-breaking member, a closing-magnet therefor, a link-andlevermechanism connecting said member with the armature of said magnet, oneof the components of said mechanism being slidably and yieldinglyconnected with another component toadmit of continued movement thereofafter the circuit-breaking member has arrived in closed position, aswitch for the circuit of the closing-magnet, a rod connected with themovable switchmember having limiting stops arranged thereon adapted tobe engaged by one of the components of the link-and-lever mechanism formoving said member to open and close the switch.

13. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combination of acircuit-breaking member, a closing-magnet therefor, operating-meansconnecting said member with the armature of said magnet, one of thecomponents of said operating-means being slidably and yieldinglyconnected with another component to admit of continued movement afterthe circuit-breaking-member has arrived and stopped in closed position,and a switch for the circuit of the closing-magnet having its movablemember connected with a Component of said operatingemeans having acontinued movement aforesaid, and adapted to be moved thereby into openand closed positions.

14. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch having a circuit-breakingmember, a closing coil, link, and lever mechanism connected between saidcircuit-breaking member and the armature of said closing coil, and asliding and yielding connection between component parts of saidmechanism whereby a component part of said mechanism is arranged forcontinued movement after said mechanism has operated to move saidcircuit-breaking member into closed position and said circuit-breakingmember has stopped in closed position, a switch associated with thecomponent part of said mechanism permitted continued movement arrangedto be operated by said said component part of the mechanism during suchContinued movement and a second coil associated with said mechanism toalso cause the operation of said second switch.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE-A. BURNHAM.

itnesses z B. J. Norris, H. B. DAVIS.

Copies o1.' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, 'byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

